


This One Time...

by jewelianna88



Category: Popslash
Genre: AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-23
Updated: 2011-04-23
Packaged: 2017-10-18 13:45:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/189492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jewelianna88/pseuds/jewelianna88
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Band Camp AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	This One Time...

The field was broiling, and the sun glared down with no mercy, but Justin kept his head held high, eyes glued to the podium. Sweat poured down his arms, but he wouldn’t let it jeopardize his grip on the drumsticks. In steady time, they pounded away the rhythm. His feet moved with perfect precision, rolling from heel to toe as he marched up the 50-yard line. It didn’t matter that this was only rehearsal. It didn’t matter that most of the others still didn’t know their parts or their sets. Justin was perfect. He tapped out the final beats and ended with a flourish of his sticks.

On the podium, JC stared down at him and tried not to smile. His arms hurt from conducting, but he held them in position as the staff members observed the marchers on the field. They’d just finished the first full run-through of the season. It was absolutely horrible. But they’d made it all the way through. From his position above the field, JC squinted into the sunlight, trying to catch Justin’s eye. He could tell Justin was thinking the same thing. It was gonna be a good year.

**

Every summer for the past twenty years, the North Kingston Marching Band had spent a week at Camp Tapawango in western Maine. They drove up in big yellow school buses, the kind with no air conditioning and vinyl seats, so everyone was hot and sticky after five minutes, let alone five hours. For a week at the end of August, they took over the girls’ camp after regular summer campers had gone home. Days were filled with rehearsals--morning, afternoon and evening. Band members were expected to learn both the musical parts and the field drill during the week. It was also a bonding experience--staff members had long ago realized that a group that spent so much time together needed to learn about each other as well as the music.

Morning at Camp Tapawango came early, while the mist still clung to the lake outside. Inside, campers slept curled into sleeping bags on squeaky metal bunks. It was hot in the daytime, but at night the temperature could drop low enough that you could see your breath. Reverie was sounded in a shaky trumpet call from the top of the hill, and throughout the camp, the boys and girls greeted the morning.

Alumni band members had the privilege of being counselors the summer after their graduation. It paid nothing, but just about every band graduate volunteered for one last week with their friends before leaving for college. Chris had chosen to be a counselor for the sophomore boys’ cabin. Most of the counselors tried to get upperclassmen, because their cabins were the closest to the main lodge, but Chris asked specifically for this group of guys. Looking around, he smiled as his friends and their classmates blinked open their eyes, then groaned, rolling over to pull their pillows over their heads to drown out the noise of the trumpeter’s call.

Grinning to himself, Chris waited until reverie had ended before calling out to his campers. “Alright, guys. Time to get up.”

Some of them mumbled back. Justin raised a hand in a middle-fingered salute.

“Hit the snooze, Chris,” Nick ordered, his blond hair barely visible from the top of his sleeping bag.

“Up and at ’em, guys!” With glee, Chris pulled something from behind his bed and sprang up onto the bench near the door. With precision aim, he pulled the trigger on the Super Soaker, getting Justin with a blast in the face, then moving on to the kid next to him.

Sputtering, the campers sat up. Lance wiped at his eyes, glowering at Chris when the water had dripped off of his lashes.

“You’re evil.” His voice was thick with sleep, deeper than even his usual bass tones.

“No, he’s a dead man,” Justin said, and before Chris could see it coming, Justin sprang out of bed and grabbed him around the waist. He fell from the bench to land on the floor with a thud, and the two wrestled, kicking at sneakers and bed frames until Justin had finally wretched the water gun from Chris’s hands and delivered a shower of his own.

When Chris was wet enough, Justin stood up and offered a hand to his friend. Chris took it and stood. “I should write you up for brutality, attacking a counselor that way.”

“Then you’d have to admit I’d kicked your ass,” Justin said with a grin. He stepped around Chris and walked out to the tiny front porch. From there, he could see the fog lifting around the camp. He dropped down to his hands and knees and began to do push-ups.

Counting in his head, Justin let his body wake up slowly, stopping at only fifty push-ups before rolling to his back and beginning a series of sit-ups. He knew that he’d be doing the workout all over again after breakfast, but he was in the habit of working out right after he woke up, and it seemed a shame to break the habit because of one week at band camp.

He was nearly done when he saw someone’s bare feet standing beside him. Opening his eyes, he sat up one last time and hugged his knees. Lance sat down on the porch beside him, already dressed for the day.

Justin glanced down the row of cabins. He saw a figure move onto the porch three cabins away and grinned. The boy lifted his hand in a wave, then disappeared back inside.

“Was that JC?” Lance asked quietly. Justin nodded.

“He usually calls me when he gets up in the morning. Now he comes and waves.”

Lance made little swirl patterns in the dirt on the floor of the porch with his fingers. “You guys are lucky.”

Glancing around, Justin made sure no one was listening before he continued. “You too.”

Lance nodded, but there was a lump in his throat, the same lump that was there every time he thought too much about his relationship. He and Chris had been dating since the beginning of June, almost three months. It was the longest relationship he’d ever been in. But they couldn’t let many people know, at least until camp was over, because if any of the chaperones or staff members ever found out, Chris would be sent home. Plus, three days after they got back, Chris was leaving for college.

“It’s hard, not being able to hold his hand or anything. I’m so afraid I’ll forget and we’ll get into trouble.”

Justin reached out and squeezed Lance’s knee. He and Lance had been best friends since Lance moved to Kingston in the fifth grade. He knew that this was bugging Lance more than he let on.

“You won’t forget. You’re smart enough not to screw it up.”

“I guess,” Lance said, but there was still a touch of melancholy in his voice. Any further conversation, though, was stopped when Chris came out onto the porch.

“Justin, get your ass into some clothes, unless you’re marching in your pajamas today.” Chris eased himself down to the floor next to them. He’d blown his knee slipping on wet grass during finals last year, when it was raining buckets during their show. He’d marched the rest of the set, then collapsed in pain and had to be carried off of the field. He’d spent most of the rest of his senior year on crutches.

Sliding a hand around Lance’s neck, Chris lightly pressed at the skin there and watched it turn white, then back to pink. “And you…” he said, as his touch turned more caressing, “don’t forget the sunscreen today.” His hand lingered on his boyfriend’s back for a moment before he drew it away. Of all the guys in the cabin, only Justin and Nick knew about their relationship, and he didn’t want the rest of them getting any ideas. Still, he shared a secret smile with Lance as they sat on the porch. “Good morning.”

“Good morning,” Lance answered, smiling. The sun broke through the clouds, and the camp was coming alive with the sound of nearly 100 teenagers getting ready for the day.

**

Meals were more of a social time than anything else. The food at camp was barely edible most days--if it wasn’t for the peanut butter and jelly bar, some of the kids wouldn’t eat all week. Because of the animals in the area, they weren’t allowed to bring any food from home, so there were no snacks back in the cabins. Mealtime was it, and it was a pretty sad sight.

Long tables with benches were set up throughout the room, so tight you couldn’t walk between them when everyone was seated. Each table had a counselor as well as seven campers. While the cabins were set up by grade, campers were free to sit wherever they chose at meals.

Chris had grabbed the far table by the windows, furthest from the food service window and the staff table. There, he held seats in reserve for his friends until the campers were allowed into the dining hall. The seniors came running in first, and Joey and JC grabbed seats at the other end of the table. Soon, the sophomores were admitted and the table filled up with the rest of their clique--Lance, sitting next to Chris, and Justin, sitting next to JC. Nick, Christina, and Britney rounded out the crew. Britney was careful to sit a few seats away from Joey. They’d had a weird semi-relationship thing at the beginning of the summer that had never really been resolved and left them both feeling awkward around each other.

Band camp was full of privileges for seniors. They were the first ones allowed into the lodge at mealtimes, they got to stay in the most convenient cabins, and the rookie band members served them their meals. Hazing laws had drastically cut down on the number of and severity of initiation rituals, but rookies serving meals to seniors was one tradition that had hung on.

“Dude, this is the LIFE!” JC said, after sending his sister back for another half gallon of milk. They’d finally gotten some good cereal for breakfast--the first two days, all they’d had was Wheat Chex. Already into his third bowl of Apple Jacks, Justin nodded in agreement.

“I could get used to this. You and Joe gotta stay back, cause next year we’re all gonna be juniors and not have anyone to serve us.”

Joey laughed. “Not likely.” He looked up and smiled when he saw Heather at his shoulder. “Thanks, sweetie.” She blushed, and turned to go back to her table.

“Hey, Heather, can you get us another platter of bacon?” JC held out the tray, a mean smile on his face.

“Hey, man, lay off. She hasn’t even gotten to eat yet.” Heather looked at Joey gratefully, and JC scowled and set down the tray. His sister made a hasty retreat.

“You’re ruining my fun, man. What’s the point of having a rookie freshman sister if you can’t milk it for all it’s worth?”

Joey shrugged, and scraped his bacon onto JC’s plate. “You’re being an ass.”

"Takes one to know one,” JC replied, and popped a floppy piece of bacon in his mouth. He blanched, and dropped it back to the plate in disgust. “Gross, this is practically raw!”

Justin, who was sitting close at his side, smiled. “Cool! We can add it to the pile.” He and Nick were making a mountain of what used to be breakfast, and was now soggy French Toast, Apple Jacks, and bacon arranged in something that reminded JC of a fallen-down sand castle. Down the row across from him, Christina and Britney were making faces of disgust as the guys worked. Chris and Lance were deep in some quiet conversation. It looked like they were holding hands under the table.

In his ear, Joey was babbling on about something. “What?” he asked, turning his attention back to his friend.

“Some REALLY hot freshmen this year. I mean, last year we had a few, but this year, there’s TONS. Check out that table, man. Not a dog in the bunch.” Joey eyed the table where most of the freshman girls sat wolfing down breakfast before beginning to clear the senior tables.

“Joey, that’s just my sister and her friends.” JC had known them since he was nine and they were five, trying to get him to play Ken with their Barbies.

“She’s got some hot friends. How come you never hooked me up, C?” Joey elbowed his friend good naturedly, never taking his eyes off of the table. Heather was whispering something to the girl sitting next to her--Mandy, he thought. She looked up to meet his eyes, and blushed deep red.

“Because they were in junior high, man. That’s all kinds of wrong.” JC poked at Joey until he turned his attention back to the table. “You can’t date a freshman, man. There’s gotta be someone left your own age.” It was a running joke in the band that Joey had dated practically everyone. Rotating boyfriends and girlfriends was common in a group as close as they were, because they didn’t get to spend a lot of time with other kids. Bandie incest, it was called.

Joey let his attention go back to his friends, and he watched in glee as Nick poured maple syrup all over their mountain of food. He was about to start adding in the grapes he’d grabbed earlier but not eaten when the instructor, Mr. Wright, announced clean up.

**

Camp days adhered to a strict schedule that left the campers little time to themselves. Because of that, meals, their free time in the afternoon, and their social in the evening were extremely valuable. The rest of the time, they were either rehearsing or sleeping.

Morning rehearsals were drill only, no instruments. JC stood on the sidelines with a drumstick and a cowbell, banging out the beat as the campers walked from set to set. Staff members with cans of spray paint ran around the field, putting down dots where each person was supposed to be at the conclusion of the set. In one morning, they could usually work through ten sets. The show had one hundred and twenty eight.

After three hours in the sun, the director finally called it quits, and the kids groaned in relief. Most of the guys had stripped down to their bare chests, and the girls whined that it wasn’t fair that the guys could go around without a shirt but they weren’t allowed to wear just a sports bra because it was considered indecent. The water cooler on the side of the field was set up to provide relief, but most of the marchers just headed back down to their cabins to soak their heads under the faucet and reapply sunscreen before lunch. After the meal, they’d be on the field again, adding music to the sets they’d learned that morning.

They had a few minutes to go back to their cabins to rest and get their instruments for the afternoon rehearsal before lunch. Chris was waiting on the steps when Lance came trotting down the path with Nick.

“Hey, Chris.” Nick jumped up the steps and ducked into the bathroom. Lance settled down next to Chris. He would have kissed him, but there were too many people around.

“How was rehearsal?” Chris asked, twirling a blade of grass between his fingers.

“Hot. But good.” Lance played trumpet. He was really good, but there were some incredible senior players in his section, so he was on the second part this year. Everyone knew, though, that he’d be lead someday.

“You coming down to the beach today?” Chris was a lifeguard during the free period. He pulled a bandana from his back pocket and offered it to Lance.

“Yeah.” A few other guys from their cabin climbed over them into the cabin as Lance mopped the sweat from his brow.

Chris smiled at his boyfriend. Sometimes he didn’t really know what to do or say around Lance. Lance could be so serious. Chris wasn’t quite completely comfortable around him yet, but being with him gave Chris those little flutters in his stomach that said it was worth the little moments of awkwardness because of the many, many big huge moments of love.

“Stick around for a sec,” Chris said, as Lance went into the cabin to change his shirt. When the rest of the guys had left to line up for lunch, Chris pulled Lance back into the corner and kissed him.

When his lips were slick and wet, and Lance’s groin was pressed hard against him, Chris slipped back and pulled in a ragged breath. “I’ve been wanting to do that all day.”

Lance looked a little dazed and flushed as he nodded in agreement. “This sucks,” he said. Chris agreed.

“Ready to go?” Chris asked, grabbing his baseball cap from the bunk.

“Just give me a minute,” Lance said, and he thought about dead frogs until he was calm enough to leave. Only another week, he thought, and then no more kisses at all. He wished their last week together wasn’t clouded by secrets and dark corners.

**

JC knew being drum major would be a challenge, but he’d never imagined it’d hurt so much! He’d lifted all summer to get in shape, but his arms still ached after holding them up for three hours straight. Each time he left the field, he’d head straight for the Ben-Gay. The medicinal smell made him queasy, but the relief was worth it. Justin would crumple his nose as he rubbed it into JC’s shoulders, but his soothing touch betrayed his sneers.

Cowbell days, as he called them, were just as bad. JC would be the timekeeper as the band learned their sets without music. Some were eight counts, some twelve, some twenty-four. He clacked out the time for every one, over and over again. Soon, painful blisters oozed on his palm from the drumstick. He felt the vibrations in his forearms for hours after they were done.

He never complained, though. Competition had been fierce for drum major this year. JC hoped he could live up to expectations. Deep down, he thought the only reason he’d been chosen was that there were plenty of other saxophone players. Some of the other seniors who’d tried out were needed too much on the field to even be considered for director. Because of that, JC kept his mouth shut, rubbed the cream into his shoulders, bandaged his palms, and climbed the podium again to start rehearsal.

**

Free time was chaos at the camp. Most of the kids headed down to the lake, where a floating dock extended out into deep water. There was also a raft anchored further out into the lake. Chris and a few other counselors stood along the dock, serving as lifeguards for the kids in the water.

Next to where Chris was stationed, Justin sat on the dock dangling his feet. JC and Lance swam below him.

“I still don’t think it’s fair that they wouldn’t let me lifeguard,” Justin was whining.

“You’re too young,” Chris said, glancing down at them. He wore mirrored sunglasses, hiding his eyes.

“Yeah, but I took the damn class!” Both Justin and Lance had taken a life guarding course over the summer. Neither one had needed a summer job, and they’d been bored crazy by the Fourth of July. Chris had been an assistant teacher, so he’d convinced the instructor to let them in, even though they didn’t qualify for certification for another year.

“Justin, just come swim with us,” JC pleaded. He knew this was more about the fact that Justin didn’t like being told he couldn’t do something than any great desire to be a lifeguard.

“Fine,” he said, and slipped into the water. Together, they moved into deeper water, a ways apart from the group so their conversation couldn’t be heard.

Lance clung to the dock and watched the beach, where Joey and Nick were tossing a Frisbee past a group of freshman girls.

“Chris?” he asked, looked up at his boyfriend.

“Yeah?”

“Do you think you could get me a job at the beach next summer?” Lance felt a weed tangle in his toes. Eew, he thought, and kicked it free.

“Sure.” Chris looked down at him for a minute. Even though he was wearing those stupid sunglasses, Lance could tell he was intrigued.

“What?” he asked.

“Nothin’. I just didn’t think you’d wanna be out in the sun all day, the way you burn.”

Lance glanced down at his shoulders, which were tinted a deep pink. “Oh. I hadn’t thought of that.” Looking back up at Chris, he grinned. “I was just thinking it would be fun to work together.”

Chris smiled. “Yeah, that’d be cool.” He walked a little to his left, tapping Lance’s fingers with his feet as he went by. “You think JC and Justin could work together?”

Laughing, Lance quickly looked over at where they swam. “God, they’d kill each other. This year’s gonna be so weird, with them together.”

“You’re gonna have to call me and tell me about it.” Chris lifted his glasses and grinned down at Lance.

“It’s gonna be weird without you.” Even though he and Chris hadn’t been real close until after marching band season had ended last year, Chris was such a presence on the field that it was strange not to have him out there.

“It’s weird not to be there,” Chris said. “But hey, I’ll be at my own band camp next week. And you’re gonna come see my shows, and I’ll come see yours.”

Lance nodded, then ducked under water. That way, when he came back up, no one would see his tears. He hated being all weepy this week. Band camp was supposed to be fun. Instead, he was constantly sad at the thought of losing Chris.

“Hey,” said Chris’s voice from above, and he looked up again. He knew it was gonna be time to go soon. Quietly, Chris said, “Don’t fall asleep tonight. I’ll be by around 12, and we’re gonna go somewhere.”

A delicious thrill ran down Lance’s spine. “Promise we won’t get caught?”

“Promise. Just don’t tell anyone.” Then Chris blew his whistle in a shrill blast and yelled “Buddy Check!” to make sure no one was swimming alone. Lance grabbed onto Chris’s ankle and grinned to himself. Time alone with Chris. Things were looking up after all.

**

All through dinner and evening rehearsal, Lance couldn’t concentrate. His mind kept wandering to Chris’s mysterious offer during free time. They had an hour in their cabins between then and dinner to shower and relax, during which time Lance had pleaded and prodded for information, but Chris wouldn’t give.

Evening rehearsals were for music, broken down into small groups all around the camp. Lance hated sectionals. The ones with all the brass players were OK, cause Nick was there too, but when it was just high brass, he loathed every minute of the rehearsal. There were ten trumpets, making it one of the largest sections in the band. He was first player, second part, and it was ridiculously easy. Their section leader was a senior named Rob, who ran rehearsals with an iron fist and an uncompromising attitude. They did scales for the entire first hour. Lance shared a look with one of the other players. They both knew it was only because Rob didn’t know any other warm-up exercises. Do-re-mi-fa-this-fuck-ing-sucks!, he thought.

One more year, he thought, as Rob counted them in. As section leader, he’d do things differently. He’d actually teach the rookies their parts instead of yelling at them because they couldn’t play them yet. As they ran through the songs, Lance played his parts easily, then spent tons of time waiting as Rob tried to explain circle breathing to the third part players. It was way too advanced for them, and totally unnecessary for this music. Lance sighed, and worked on the fingerings for the rest of the music. Thoughts of Chris penetrated his thoughts, and he fought to shake them away and focus.

After a while, the instructor came by to monitor their progress. Lance prayed he wouldn’t say anything to start up more crap. Everyone said Rob was jealous of Lance’s talent, but Lance thought Rob was just Satan. One more year, he thought, and picked up his instrument again.

**

Everyone came back together around nine, meeting in the main lodge for a short social. Chris was up on the second-floor balcony acting as DJ, and the lights were dimmed across the floor as students danced.

In one corner, JC, Justin, Joey, and Lance stood sipping red Kool-Aid from Dixie cups. They’d all been dancing until the Grease Megamix came on. Right now, the only ones on the dance floor were girls.

“He didn’t say anything else?” Joey asked.

“No. What do you think he’s gonna do?” Lance shivered with anticipation. He knew he wasn’t supposed to tell anyone, but these were his best friends, he could trust them.

“I dunno.” JC wrapped his arm around Justin’s waist. It was as physical as they dared get under parents’ watchful eyes.

“If you get caught outta your cabin, you’ll both get sent home, and you’ll get thrown outta the band.” Justin frowned. “Be careful, whatever you do.”

“I will.” A slow song came on, and they watched as the couples paired off on the dance floor.

“Wanna dance?” Justin asked JC hopefully. He was much more open, and a bit naïve, about his sexuality than JC was.

“Justin, you know that’s not a good idea.” He sighed. He did want to dance with Justin, but he also didn’t want to make everyone else uncomfortable and endure the weird glances and ensuing lectures from parents.

Justin sighed. “I know.”

“Look at all the little ones instead,” Joey laughed, as the younger kids started to pair off with one another.

“They’re only a year younger than us,” Lance pointed out.

Joey grinned, and slapped Lance on the back. “But you guys are infinitely cooler. Hey, who’s that girl?” he asked, looking at one girl who hung back as all of her friends started to dance. She was standing back under the stairs, hidden by shadows.

“I dunno. Guess she didn’t wanna dance.” JC bumped against Justin a little. He couldn’t wait for a fast song to come on again.

“Poor kid. I’m gonna go ask her.” Joey strode across the room with sense of purpose, sending some of the younger kids scattering from his path.

“Joey the White Knight to the rescue,” Lance commented, as he watched Joey drawing the younger girl out from the shadows. He smiled as Justin let out a hoot of laughter.

“JC, that’s your sister, dude!”

“What!” JC dropped his arm from around Justin’s waist and took a few steps into the room.

“Joe’s dancing with Heather.” They watched as Joey wrapped his arms around her waist and smiled down at JC’s younger sister.

“Dude, that’s all kinds of wrong. She’s a freshman!”

“I was a freshman when Chris and I started going out,” Lance reminded him. JC grew pale. “Relax, he’s just being nice. It’s only a dance.”

“Sure. Sure.” JC smiled weakly, and made a big deal of thanking Joey when he came back over, for being so nice to his sister. Joey grinned sheepishly, and smiled when Heather waved at him from across the room later on.

**

It was actually hard for Lance to stay awake. His body was conditioned to sleep as soon as he got into bed. He listened to the loons out on the lake and watched the flashlights play off of the shutters as the counselors walked by. Every night, the staff met up in the main lodge to drink away the day, leaving the 100 campers in the hands of a handful of college kids. It was probably some 20/20 special in the making--or at least, a Fox News exclusive. It did make Lance a little less worried, though, about getting caught.

He didn’t even know what time it was when he heard the cabin door open slowly. Everyone else was asleep, so no one saw the shadow creep over to his bed and gently shake Lance on the shoulder.

Lance sat up and pulled his legs from his sleeping bag. He didn’t dare unzip it and wake someone with the noise. Chris held the door for him as he crept down the steps, then shut it, careful not to make a sound.

“Where’re we going?” Lance asked, once they were out of earshot of the cabins.

“Down here,” Chris said, sneaking them into the woods. “Careful.” They weren’t on the main path, but one that wove through the brush, only about one person wide. Tree limbs brushed against Lance’s back as he followed Chris. There were tree roots on the ground that made him stumble.

After walking for about five minutes, the path ended at a tiny stretch of beach. From here, the moon shone over the water.

“Wow,” Lance said, as the waves lapped at the shore.

Chris dragged a couple of beach towels out from under a bush and spread them on the sand. He sat down, tugging at Lance’s arm until he followed, settling into the V of Chris’s legs.

“I’ve missed being able to hug you,” he said softly into Lance’s ear. Lance smiled and leaned back.

“Me too. God, I’m gonna miss you so much this year.” Lance felt Chris lean his head onto his shoulder, and sighed. Chris’s hair tickled a bit, just below his ear.

“I’m gonna be home a lot. I’m only gonna be a few hours away.” Chris rocked slowly, moving the two of them to an silent rhythm as they watched the water.

After a moment, Lance twisted in Chris’s embrace so he could look up at his boyfriend. “I love you,” he said. He heard Chris’s sharp intake of breath, and watched as Chris bit his lip between his teeth.

“Lance. Wow.”

“You don’t have to say it or anything. I just wanted you to know. We’ve been going out for three months, and I just. I’m not saying I’m in love with you or anything. But I do love you.”

Chris stroked Lance’s cheek, barely rough enough to shave. “I love you too.”

“I worry sometimes,” Lance said. “That you’re gonna get to college and meet someone older, more experienced.”

“I probably will,” Chris said. “But I won’t meet someone who makes me feel the way I do about you.”

“But… you’re not gonna want to be with me, not when we’re not.” Lance blushed and looked down into his lap.

Chris could feel Lance slipping away, and hugged him close again. “I’ve told you before that it’s OK.”

“But that was now. When you’re in college, if everyone else is having. Having.”

Chris supplied the word. “Sex.”

“Yeah. Then aren’t you gonna feel dumb with a kid boyfriend? You’ll resent me for holding you back.”

“Lance,” Chris said carefully. “You will never make me feel dumb, or stupid, or immature. Not when I can say that I love you and mean it with everything in my heart.”

“Really?” Lance looked up at him with such hope that Chris couldn’t help but lean down to kiss his lips. They were tainted with the minty tang of toothpaste, and slid over his with the precision that resulted from months of long make-out sessions.

“Really,” he said when he drew back. “Is that what’s had you so worried?” When Lance nodded, Chris kissed him again. “Stop now, OK?”

“OK.” Lance tugged at Chris’s lips until they parted, allowing Lance’s tongue to sweep inside and draw Chris more closely to him. Chris groaned at the onslaught and surrendered as Lance turned more in his arms and eased him down to the ground.

They lay there under the moonlight, groping and making out until the timer went off on Chris’s watch. Disoriented, Lance sat up. Chris pressed the button at his wrist and turned the indigo dial in Lance’s direction so he could see the time.

“One. You have to be up in six hours.” Lance stared back at Chris, taking in his mussed hair and swollen red lips. He was sure he looked the same. It was a good thing everyone was asleep.

“Can we do this again tomorrow night?” Lance asked anxiously, as Chris stowed the towels back under the brush.

“I’m on duty. The day after, though.” He wrapped Lance in a hug where they stood. The loons had grown quiet. It was late.

Back in his bed a few minutes later, Lance could hear Chris puttering around in the bathroom and then settling into his bunk on the other side of the cabin. Grinning to himself, he wrapped one arm around the top of his sleeping bag and fell into dreams.

**

“You look tired this morning,” Justin said with a wink at breakfast. Lance’s eyelids drooped low as he ate his cereal.

“I didn’t sleep well last night,” Lance mumbled, watching as Britney grinned at him from across the table. Someone must have let her in on the secret.

“Leave Lance alone,” Chris said. He reached into his bag and pulled out a Mountain Dew. Holding it under the table, he coughed to cover the hiss as it opened, then poured some into Lance’s empty coffee cup. “Here. This should wake you up.”

Lance grinned at Chris and sipped the soda. Like food from home, it was forbidden at camp, because it could attract bugs and animals if spilt. “Thanks.”

“No fair,” Britney whined. “I wish I had a boyfriend to sneak me soda.” Lance passed her the cup out of sympathy. Poor Britney had spent the past year bouncing from guy to guy, having her heart broken. She hadn’t dated anyone since the Joey disaster earlier that summer.

Beside Lance, Justin was drumming on the table with two knives. “Dude, give it a rest,” Lance said, laying his hand over the silverware.

JC grabbed his knife back. “Thanks, Lance.”

“Hey, do you think we’ll be able to run the first song by lunch?” Justin asked.

“I dunno.” Christina smiled over at him. “I think we’re gonna spend more time doing drill. Did they say anything to you, C?”

JC shook his head. “We’re just marching this morning. I’m working with Carl on conducting, so. I won’t even be there.”

Britney sighed. “There are some seriously bad marchers this year. I mean, we’re never gonna get to practice our choreography if we can’t even get the drill down.” Britney was in the color guard--flag twirlers, saber lines, and rifles.

“Hey, guys, relax. It’s only August.” From the end of the table, Joey was the voice of wisdom. “Besides, we got the best guys in the world leading us on the field.” He gestured to JC and Justin. It was well known that lead snare and student conductor were the team that kept the whole show together. “What can go wrong when these two are so in synch with each other?”

Justin nodded, and gave JC a kiss on the cheek, big and sloppy. “That’s right. We’re gonna lead everyone to gold this year, right baby?”

“Right,” JC said, wiping his face and laughing. “We’re gonna kick some ass.”

**

Chris watched the band on the field as they added the new song to the drill. August was always rough, he knew, as new marchers learned and old ones relearned. It was strange--surreal--not to be out there with them. He felt a twinge in his knee as he watched, a reminder of the last time he’d been on the field. His euphonium was at home, packed and waiting with the rest of his stuff for college.

His decision to play in college was automatic--he couldn’t imagine life without music. He’d tell anyone who asked that music had saved his life. As a lonely 14-year-old, struggling with his sexuality, his only friend’s invitation to join the summer before high school had made all the difference. By the end of the season, he had a huge new group of friends, a better grasp on his sexual preference, and a whole new outlook on life. He’d been adopted by a group and mentored by a junior guy who also happened to like boys. For both, he’d be eternally grateful. He couldn’t believe it was nearly time for him to leave it all behind. The band had kept him safe and sheltered for the past four years. Now, he just hoped that he wouldn’t fall without his net.

**

It started raining late that morning. About half an hour before rehearsal ended, the sprinkles began, and it was a full-out downpour by the end of practice.

Already soaked to the bone, no one raced back to the cabins. The directors announced that afternoon rehearsals were going to be inside, so everyone changed into dry clothes and dashed back to the lodge for lunch. It was grilled cheese day, which was about the only edible meal of the week. No one wanted to be late.

Afterwards, someone decided that instead of having a rehearsal, the group needed to have more bonding time. They broke the whole band down into groups of ten and sent them off to different spots around the lodge to play icebreaker games.

JC and Britney were in the same group, but everyone else was split up. JC and Brit snagged a big Adirondack chair on the screen porch to share while the rest of the group settled around them in chairs and on the floor.

“All right, guys, I’m Chuck, head drill instructor for those of you who don’t know me yet. We’re just gonna use this time to get to know each other a little better, because as you veterans know, it’s not just knowing the music and drill but knowing each other and reacting to other people on the field that makes a strong, cohesive group. JC, why don’t you start, tell us who you are, what grade, what instrument, and, I dunno, something interesting about yourself.” Their instructor leaned back on one of the porch roof supports and let JC take the conversation.

“All right. I’m JC, that stands for Josh Chasez. I’m your drum major, obviously. But I used to play sax. I’m a senior. I’m not all that interesting, so.”

Britney elbowed him. “You gotta say something!”

“Fine. Let’s see. I collect Hard Rock Café menus.” He looked pointedly at Britney. “Next!”

She giggled and introduced herself as a sophomore guard member, with an interesting fact that she’d once done a dance with a live snake for her ethnic dance class. The rest of the group continued. There were a couple other seniors who were friends of JC, a few juniors from a clique he avoided like the plague, and three rookie freshman, one of whom was his sister’s best friend Mandy.

When they were done, the rain was letting up outside. Chuck went to check whether they were going to go back onto the field, leaving the kids by themselves.

“Hey, JC?” One of the freshman said. His friend elbowed him, but he shrugged him away. “No, man, I wanna know. JC, are you really dating Justin Timberlake?”

JC smiled down at him. “Yeah. That a problem?”

“What? No! I was just wondering, is all. I’d never met anyone who’s gay before.” The kid blushed and fiddled with his shoelaces.

“There’s a few of us around here, you’ll learn. And you don’t have to worry about anyone hitting on you, or anything. It’s not contagious, and no one’s gonna get in your face if you’re not comfortable with it.” JC remembered a senior giving a similar speech when he was a freshman, still awed by all of the things that high school offered freely which had been taboo in junior high.

One of the other guys on the porch started in on a story about Chris and the guy he’d dated who’d graduated two years ago, causing the older kids to laugh with memory and the younger ones to sit in open-mouthed shock. Long bus rides to shows tended to lead to illicit acts. It was a running joke that the buses they used were moving Motel 6s.

“Aw, guys, you’re scaring the rookies,” Britney said. She smiled at Mandy, who was in the guard with her. “Don’t listen to them, they exaggerate.”

“It’s OK.” She blushed. JC remembered that she had always been kinda shy. He nudged her with his shoe until she looked up, then smiled. She grinned back, cheeks tinted pink.

Chuck came back out to tell them that the field was still too wet, but the sun looked like it was coming out again, so they could go right to free time. With whoops and hollers, the offensive juniors took off.

“Stay away from them,” Britney said to the wide-eyed freshmen that were left. “They’re trouble.” She was right--a couple of their friends had been kicked out of the group last year for drinking on a trip.

“You going to the beach, JC?” she asked, as they trotted down the steps of the lodge to the path leading to the cabins.

"Yeah. See you there?” She nodded, and turned right towards the girls’ cabins while he headed to the left to his own place.

They all congregated on the beach, where the sun had finally broken through the clouds. Thanks to a pretty heavy tree cover on the lakeshore, most of the sand wasn’t too wet. Chris was out on the dock when JC, Joey, and the rest of their cabin arrived. Justin, Lance, and Nick were sitting on the shore.

“Hey, can you do my back?” Justin asked as JC and Joey settled in. JC picked up the bottle of lotion and began to rub it into Justin’s back.

“You’re getting all burned,” JC commented, taking care of the sensitive skin on his boyfriend’s neck.

Justin leaned back into his touch. “Do you want me to start wearing my shirt on the field?”

“Noooo,” JC hummed as he rubbed. He lowered his voice. “I like seeing you half nekkid out there.”

“Mmm. I wish we could be all the way naked.”

“Exhibitionist, much?” JC wiped the excess lotion on the backs of Justin’s arms, and leaned down into his ear. “Someday we’re gonna have to get out on the field when no one’s around.” He leaned back with a teasing grin. “Wanna do me now?”

Nick snickered, and Lance blushed as Justin shifted to squint up at JC. “Huh? What did you say?”

“I asked if you’d do me.” Laughing at the shocked expression on Justin’s face, JC pulled off his shirt and dropped down in front of him. “My back, dude. My back.”

“Oh. Sure.” Justin squeezed out a palmful of lotion. He began to rub it in slowly, taking care to cover every inch of skin. It felt so good to touch JC, he hadn’t realized how empty he felt when they couldn’t be in constant contact. They hadn’t gone this long without some sort of intimacy since they started dating, even if it was only cuddling. He missed it.

As he finished, Justin leaned forward to kiss JC’s cheek, but his boyfriend pulled away before Justin’s lips even brushed his skin. The hurt came quick as JC squirmed out of reach.

JC laid his sunglasses on the sand and stood. “Ready to swim?” he asked.

Lance stood up, but Nick waved them away and lay down. “I’m gonna nap,” he said, pulling his hat down over his eyes.

Justin stayed where he was for a second, causing JC to look back over his shoulder. “Justin? Are you…” Then he saw Justin’s dilemma and groaned. He grabbed his shirt and tossed it over Justin’s lap. “Dude, we’re on a BEACH!” he said, laughing.

“I know that,” Justin said through clenched teeth. Lance looked back and started to giggle. Joey caught on and let out a loud laugh. Nick lifted the hat from his eyes, and groaned when he saw the shirt in Justin’s lap and his friend’s pained expression.

“God, Timberlake, I didn’t need to see that.”

“You didn’t see anything, fucker. Go back to sleep.” Justin took a few deep breaths, and stood up. JC was still laughing.

“Fuck you, man. This is your fault.”

“Me? I barely touched you!”

“I know! And you… said stuff. And now you’re laughing! If you’d just fucking really touch me, then maybe this wouldn’t happen, ever think of that?”

JC was still laughing. “Justin, chill. It’s not that big a deal.”

“It’s a fucking huge deal and I can’t believe you’re being so stupid about this.” Justin grabbed Lance by the arm and dragged him down the water.

JC sat down and laughed. God, Justin was PMSing like a girl this week. “Aren’t you going to go after him?” Joey asked.

“Nah. He’s pissed, he needs some time to cool down.” Together, they walked across the beach a little ways and sat down with a group of seniors. Tonight was rookie night--the mild induction ceremony in which new band members were publicly humiliated. It wasn’t mandatory any more, and much tamer than it used to be, thanks to some schools where the rituals had gotten out of hand. But the seniors were still allowed to plan something. This year, the rookies all had to sing a song and dance for a senior of the opposite sex.

“Where’s Justin?” Brooke asked. She was a sax player, and a good friend of JC’s since they had both been in the same section.

“In the water. He’s having a little bit of an issue keeping his hands to himself.”

She rolled her eyes. “God, teenage guys are so horny.” She looked over at Joey apologetically. ”Sorry.”

He shrugged his shoulders with a grin. “Don’t be, it’s true.”

“Anyway, I don’t know how you can date someone so much younger. Isn’t he pretty immature?” Brooke’s friend, Megan, had never really gotten behind his relationship with Justin.

“Nah. He’s real serious, and stuff. We have fun together, you know?” JC didn’t like having to defend his relationship.

“Yeah, Meg, lay off,” Joey added. “Didn’t you go out with Jason when you were sophomore?” Jason had been two years ahead of them.

“Mm, but older guy-younger girl is supposed to work better cause girls mature faster than guys.” She adjusted the strap on her bathing suit and rolled over for a more even tan.

“Well, Justin’s plenty mature. He’s just moody cause of the constant parental supervision.”

“Moody sucks. I swear, Mike’s gonna die if we don’t get a moment alone sometime today.” Brooke’s boyfriend was out on the raft with the rest of the senior guys. “He’s probably out there telling them all how horny he is.”

“Honey, it’s what we’re all doing this week,” JC said, and everyone laughed.

Out in the water, Justin clung to the dock beside Lance, whining on and on about JC.

“He won’t even hold my hand. Only at dinner, when it’s under the table. And he hasn’t kissed me since we got here, which is totally bogus cause everyone KNOWS we’re going out, so I don’t see what the problem is, cause Mike and Brooke were totally making out on the dance floor at the social last night and no one said anything to them!”

“OK, Justin, first of all? Stop bitching, cause at least you guys are here together. Second? Mike and Brooke kissed once and they both got lectures from Mrs. Hoffman afterwards. Third? You can live without sex. You’re not the only one who’s not allowed to kiss his boyfriend.”

“Yeah, but you guys got to--“ Justin was cut off when Lance’s hand clapped over his mouth.

“Not a word more about that, understand?” Justin nodded, and Lance released him.

“It’s still not fair.”

“Curly, not fair is me going to college in six days, and Lance not coming with me. Not fair is you thinking you’re the only one in the world in this position, cause you’re not. Not fair is me having to listen to you whine.” Chris took his eyes off the water for a minute to look down at them. “So shut up.”

Justin started down into the water. It was deep black, and he couldn’t see his toes. “It’s not the same for you guys. You’re not having sex. It’s different.”

Lance took a long look at his friend. “I can’t believe you’d say that to me. You think that what Chris and I have is somehow less significant or less meaningful than what you and JC have just because we’re not sleeping together? We’ve been going out longer than you!” It was true. Chris had asked Lance out at his graduation party in early June. JC and Justin had gotten together two weeks later, at the end of the underclassmen’s school year.

Rolling his eyes, Justin replied, “No, that’s not what I meant. It’s just that, I don’t know. It’s just different.”

“Yeah, OK.” Lance looked up at Chris. “I don’t think I wanna swim anymore, so I’ll see you back at the cabin?” Chris nodded, and Lance climbed out. “C’mon, Justin, we’re done.” Justin had no choice but to get out and follow. The buddy system sucked.

Back on the beach, Lance headed to their towels, so Justin took a detour by Christina and Britney. “Life’s not fair,” he said as he plopped down at Christina’s feet. She was so tiny that there was tons of room at the end of her towel.

“What’s wrong, J?” Britney was stretched out on her back, still glistening with water drops from her swim earlier.

“JC’s being a dick. He’s so freakin’ paranoid all the time.” Justin rubbed his feet. They had weird suntan patterns on them from wearing sandals all summer.

Christina looked at Britney and raised an eyebrow. “Are you gonna break up with him?” she asked Justin.

“What? No!” Truly shocked, Justin focused on his friends. “Do you think I should?”

With a sigh, Britney sat up. “No, Justin, you shouldn’t break up with him. He’s just stressed, you know. Drum major’s a big job.”

“Yeah, but he’s all freaky about touching me, like he’s ashamed or something.” The sand was cold under the surface, cold like JC’s tone of voice when he kept shrugging Justin off.

“OK, Just? How many days were the two of you apart since you started going out?” Britney took a sip of water from the bottle of Aquafina she’d stuck in the sand, then passed it to Christina. Justin took his turn, drawing in the condensation on the side of the bottle as he thought.

“Um. Three. When his family went to the Cape for the Fourth of July.”

“OK, so maybe you’re both just reacting to this separation in your own way. JC’s probably just pulling away because he knows he can’t control himself around you.” Christina snorted a giggle, and Britney threw her a dirty look. “You have any other suggestions?”

“No,” she said. “Just that you’re really complaining to the wrong people here, Justin. At least you have a boyfriend who’s here.” Christina was dating some guy she’d worked with at a day camp. He lived in another town, and they all knew it wouldn’t last, but no one said anything about it.

“At least you have a boyfriend, period,” Britney said. Justin gave her a sympathetic smile. Justin couldn’t understand what was wrong with JC. He was all up on being a senior, maybe, and didn’t want to be seen with a lowly sophomore. Maybe. That didn’t quite seem right, but there had to be some reason that JC would whisper things in his ear and then shrug him off in public. One thing was certain--this wasn’t the guy he’d spent the whole summer with.

**

Justin usually tried to shower first, since only three people from each cabin were allowed down to the shower building at a time. He didn’t like the uncomfortable looks the other guys gave him when there was nakedness involved. Britney said that the girls all wore swimsuits in the showers, because they were so self-conscious. He didn’t want it to come to that for the boys.

Luckily, he was able to shower and get back to the cabin to dress. He clutched his towel tightly on the walk back, remembering all too well an embarrassing encounter last year when a friend of Chris’s had stripped him bare and run away with his towel. At least it hadn’t been cold that day.

After rubbing some gel into his curly hair, Justin sat on his bed to wait while the rest of the cabin got ready. He chatted with one of the other guys, Derek, who played quads with Joey in the drum line. They had a new percussion instructor this year and were still trying to feel out his style of instruction. When Lance came in, he carefully avoided Justin, dressing on the other side of the cabin.

Finally, Justin got up and went to Lance. They’d been friends for six years, he wasn’t about to blow it over something this stupid. “Hey man,” he said, standing next to Lance at the bathroom sink as Lance brushed his teeth.

“Hey.” Lance’s voice was clipped short, and it wasn’t because his mouth was full of foam. Sighing, Justin leaned back against the wall.

“I’m sorry about what I said earlier. I didn’t mean to make it sound like your relationship isn’t serious or anything like that. I didn’t mean to compare at all. I was just frustrated, and took it out on you, so. Sorry.”

Lance spat out his mouthful, and rinsed. “ ‘s OK,” he mumbled.

Justin thought, shit, he’s really mad. “Are you sure? Cause, man, I feel like shit right now, I managed to get everyone mad at me in about five minutes.”

“Maybe that’s cause all you care about is you, Justin. Did you ever think of that?” Lance’s eyes were cold when they turned their stare on Justin.

He chose his next words carefully, knowing his friend was hurt. “I’m trying to fix that, Lance. I’m standing up here, I’m taking steps.”

With a nod, Lance tried to push past Justin. “Fine. Apology accepted.”

“Hey,” Justin said, grabbing his friend’s arm. There was barely room for both of them to stand across from one another in the tiny bathroom. “What gives, man? What’re you so angry about?”

Lance rolled his eyes. “Nothing. Just let go.”

“Fine, dude, whatever.” Justin gave Lance a good shove as he let him go. Lance stormed over to his bed, and Justin went out to sit on the porch. He still had a half hour to wait before dinner.

A few minutes later, Lance came out. “Sorry,” he mumbled, sitting down. “I’m in a pissy mood.”

“Yeah, no shit. It’s cool, I was earlier.”

Lance shrugged. His mind was so cluttered lately. “I’m just thinking about what happens when we get back, when Chris goes.” There, he’d said it out loud. “Some of the stuff you said earlier just touched a nerve, you know?”

“Shit, man. I didn’t mean anything by it. Chris likes you a lot, man.” Justin made sure his voice was low. “You don’t have anything to worry about.”

“I know,” Lance sighed. His eyes drifted back into the cabin, where Chris was goofing around with some of the other guys. “I’m just gonna miss him.”

“Well, you can call him. You can use my cell, if you want.” Lance’s mom wouldn’t let him get a cell phone.

“Thanks.” Lance smiled tentatively at Justin. “Just so you know, I don’t think you’re a slut or anything just cause you and JC are doing it.”

“Oh, well, that’s good,” Justin mockingly replied. “Cause I don’t think you’re a prude or anything cause you and Chris aren’t.” He grinned. “You’re my favorite ex-boyfriend, you know.”

“I’m your only ex, dumbass.”

They laughed together, friendship restored. They continued to sit on the porch and compare notes about their sections. Justin loved the drum line, and he loved the fact that even as a sophomore, he was the best player they had. Lance hated his section leader, who Justin said treated Lance like shit because he was jealous of Lance’s talent. Nick came by a while later and sat down with them.

“Hey, I heard that you and JC had some monster fight.”

Justin groaned. ‘It wasn’t. It was stupid.”

Nick looked acutely disappointed. “Damn. I was hoping for some drama queen action at dinner.”

He almost got his wish, because JC switched seats with Britney, so he wouldn’t have to sit next to Justin. He spent the whole time talking to Chris and Lance about DCI bands, something Justin knew nothing about. Everyone else was kinda quiet, even Joey. He spent most of his time teasing Heather, who was serving their table again.

Justin kept trying to find a time to talk to JC, but his boyfriend kept avoiding him. They didn’t get a social that night, because it was Rookie Night. JC sat up with the seniors in the front. Justin watched him from his spot on the floor. Despite his foul mood, he couldn’t help but laugh as the new kids sang their songs to a senior of their choice. He watched as JC laughed when his sister sang part of “You Make Me Sick.” Afterward, he tried to get JC’s attention, but he was focused on talking to the other seniors, and didn’t look Justin’s way before they were dismissed back to their cabins.

**

The next morning, the drum line was off the field, working at the far end of camp on technique with the pit.

One-two-three-four-five-six-seven-eight. One-two-three-four-five-six-seven-eight. One-two-three-four-five-six-seven-eight. One-two-three-four-five-six-seven-eight.

Over and over again, they tapped out the exercises. The bass drum players especially lacked the bouncing technique. If Justin heard them say “wrist, not arm!” one more time, he was going to scream. For three hours, they did the simplest practices over and over again. It wasn’t just the rookies, either--some of the veterans looked like they hadn’t picked up a pair of sticks since last November. They were also trying to teach the warm-up exercises to the new guys so they could run through them at the beginning of every rehearsal from then on.

By lunch time, the muscles in Justin’s arms were burning from three hours of constant playing. JC didn’t sit next to him again, and Justin spent most of the meal with his head down on the table, trying to catch a nap. He didn’t want any of that nasty beef stew anyway. One of the moms came over to check on him, but he brushed her aside, claiming exhaustion. The more JC avoided him, the angrier he got.

**

Afternoon rehearsal was rough.

“Stop, stop, stop!” Their instructor’s voice echoed through a megaphone from the top of the scaffolding. “Justin, what the hell are you doing? Do you have your eyes closed out there?”

Justin scowled up. He knew he hadn’t been with JC. “He’s slowing down! He’s supposed to be watching my feet, and he’s not.”

“JC, you got the metronome on?” they asked, and JC nodded. He pulled the business-card sized metronome from where it was tucked under his baseball cap next to his ear.

“Alright, Justin, stay with JC. Even if he slows down, you gotta go with the director. Otherwise I got half the group going with you, half going with him.”

Justin swore under his breath and reset.

**

As last of the band straggled off of the field, Chris tapped JC on the shoulder.

“Hey. Lookin’ good out there.”

“Thanks,” JC said, downhearted. “Do you think I’m doing OK?””

"You’re doing great,” Chris assured him. “I gotta ask, though, what’s with Justin””

Sighing, JC stopped by the cooler for water. They were the only ones left on the field. “I dunno. We got into this thing at the beach, and then. It just escalated.”

“Is it something, I mean, do you want to fix it or have you moved into unrepairable land?” Chris rubbed at his hair. He hated butting into these things, but Lance had begged him.

“I want to fix it, but I can’t find the right time. It’s like, there’s always so many people around, you know? I don’t wanna cause a big thing.”

Chris nodded. “What if I can solve that?”

JC listened as Chris outline the plan. He gnawed at his lip as he thought. It was risky, but. It sounded good.

In the end, he agreed.

**

During free period, Justin hoped to finally get JC alone, but JC was playing in the senior-staff basketball game. On the beach, Justin whined more to his friends.

“Justin, don’t you get it? You guys have it good. How many gay kids do you think there are in high school who have a boyfriend they can not only date openly but actually spend a lot of time with?” Britney was much harsher today. They’d had try-outs for saber line in guard that morning, and she didn’t think she’d made it.

“I dunno. More than there were ten years ago.”

“Yeah, but that’s still not that many. You’re really lucky. Christina’s boyfriend doesn’t even go to our school. Lance’s is moving away. Nick, Joe, and I are single. You’re the only one who’s gonna have someone to be with this year, and you’re acting like it’s this big tragedy that you guys can’t hang all over each other for one week. Grow up, some.”

Justin pouted and settled back down on his towel. His friends weren’t giving him any sympathy. Instead, he headed over to the cluster of freshman girls who were dangling their legs in the water. He knew them from when they were in junior high jazz together a few years ago. Lance used to call them his fan club.

“Hey, girls. Mind if I sit?” He could see their eyes bugging open as he settled down beside them.

“Sure.” Heather twisted to look at him. “Are you fighting with my brother?” she asked.

“Nah. We just haven’t gotten to talk much lately. It’s fine. How’re you guys doing?” he asked. They all launched into stories about the horrors of learning to march and how much more difficult the music was at the high school than in junior high.

“So, you think we have a chance of gold this year?” he asked.

“Oh, my god, we’re totally gonna win,” Maggie said. “First, because you’ve got us this year,” and Justin smiled at her confidence. Usually freshmen were much more self-conscious. “And second, because we’ve got you and JC. My brother marched with Crusaders, and he was always going on and on about how important it was for the lead snare and the conductor to work together, and you guys are like, dating, so as long as you don’t break up, we’ve got this, like, cosmic connection out on the field, you know? It’s gonna totally kick ass.”

Justin knew that. And he knew that he’d been an ass on the field earlier. A part of him was just so desperate for JC to NOTICE him that he’d gone off on purpose. And part of him was hoping to make JC feel like an idiot. That part had backfired, and Justin was glad. In retrospect, he really didn’t want to hurt JC’s feelings, he really didn’t. He was just so damn frustrated and confused by the whole thing. All summer they’d been doing stuff together, going out, hanging out, but as soon as JC was around other people he was all “hands off, don’t touch.”

Back at the cabin, Justin showered and then lay down, pretending to nap before dinner. At one point, Lance swung by and stood next to his bed for a few moments. He left, rubbing Justin’s shoulder as he passed.

Dinner was absolutely crazy. The seniors had won the basketball game, so instead of being served by the rookies, they were being served by the staff. Kids were taking pictures of their instructors dressed up in aprons and chefs hats, bringing around pitchers of water and wiping down tables. Even Justin got into the merriment, temporarily forgetting that he was sitting next to Britney instead of JC again.

**

They didn’t get a social that night, because the staff thought rehearsals had gone poorly and they needed their rest.

Justin’s feet hurt because they’d been practicing their cadence after dinner. The drum line had been marching around the uneven, unpaved path that ran along the camp’s perimeter. He fell into bed that night, exhausted and generally feeling pretty crappy.

“Justin.” The whispered voice came across the space between beds.

“Sleepin'.”

“Hey, come on, talk to me.” Justin and Lance had beds in the corner, next to the bathroom wall. Other than Nick, who slept like a log, no one was near them.

“What?” Justin yawned.

“Are you gonna break up with JC?” Nighttime offered a chance to talk about things more openly than in the day. It was as though the words were easier to say if you couldn’t see them being spoken.

“I don’t want to.” Justin’s heart sank when he thought about it. He didn’t know that he was in love with JC or anything, but he liked him an awful lot, and didn’t want to break up with him.

“He seems pretty pissed.”

Justin sighed. “I know.” The sleeping bag was pilly and made his skin itch.

“I think you should, like, corner him or something. Make him talk to you.”

“What would I say?” Justin asked. Lance had always been better at this stuff than he was.

“Tell him that you’re sorry you got so mad. That you like him and stuff. You should ask him--nicely--why he’s been kinda distant this week.”

“He was giving me these weird mixed signals the other day. Like, all over me one second and then not wanting to be near me the next. I don’t know what’s going on.” It was damn confusing, that was for sure.

“You’ve gotta talk to him,” Lance whispered.

“I know.” He sighed.

After a moment of silence, Lance spoke again. “Hey, can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

Made brave by the dark, Lance asked “When you and JC… did it, for the first time? What was it like?”

“The first time?”

“Yeah.”

“Um, that’s not really the best way to judge it. Cause neither of us had ever done it before, and. It was weird. Wait, are you thinking about sleeping with Chris?” Justin perked up. That would be huge news.

“I don’t know.” Lance sighed. “I always said I was gonna wait till marriage, you know? And then, like, until I was pledged for life. And this summer, I said marriage, cause of Canada, right?”

Justin sighed. “It wasn’t. You shouldn’t go by me, cause we kinda did it by accident. It wasn’t real romantic or anything. I mean, it got better, but the first time? We were just kinda talking and fooling around, and wondering stuff. Neither of us had done much, and we were curious about how it’d feel so we did a little of this, then a little more, and then, like. Bam. Not a virgin.”

“Really? You didn’t tell me that.” Lance sounded a little hurt. It used to be that they told each other everything.

“I know.” Justin sounded really sorry as he spoke. “I told you about the other time, though, and that was so much better.” Justin smiled to himself, thinking about it. About how he’d whined when JC had begged him to help with uniform inventory over the summer, and how JC had let him wander with his fingers into all sorts of places before they laid out some of the band uniform garment bags in the storage room and locked the door. It wasn’t something they’d ever make a romance movie about, but it was secluded and incredibly special to him.

“I don’t know. I’m kinda still freaked out by the whole idea, you know? Chris was only the second guy I ever kissed.” Justin was the first, three kisses during their month-long relationship last March.

“Can I tell you the same thing you told me? That you should talk to him.” Justin yawned again, and nestled into his pillow. “I’m getting tired, man.”

“No, don’t go to sleep. Stay up, keep me company until Chris comes.” Lance reached over and poked Justin in the shoulder.

“You’re so lucky,” Justin mumbled. “Ok. I’m awake. Did Chris say something to you about sleeping together?”

“No. He said he doesn’t mind waiting.”

“I can’t decide for you, man, but. I don’t know. I kinda wish JC and I had waited.”

“Really?” Lance hadn’t expected that, or the wistful tone in Justin’s voice.

“Yeah. Cause, like, maybe then I wouldn’t be so freaked that he didn’t wanna touch me and stuff. Cause I wouldn’t be so used to it.”

Lance started to reply, but the front door to the cabin squeaked open and Chris tiptoed in. Lance sat up and slid out of bed. Chris held him at the door and tiptoed over to Justin.

“Hey,” he said, kneeling down. “JC’s here, and he wants to talk to you. Go sit by my bed, ‘K?”

Justin sat up quickly to see JC and Lance standing inside the doorway. He quietly got out of his bed, and moved to sit down on the floor behind Chris’s bed. The front of the cabin had two built-in benches with storage underneath, creating a half-wall by the door. Chris’s bed was pushed up behind the bench, giving it some seclusion from the rest of the cabin.

Once Justin had tucked himself into the corner, JC sat down with him. The door closed with a soft clap, indicating that Chris and Lance were gone.

“What’re you doing here? You could get in a lotta trouble.” Justin chewed his lower lip with worry.

“It’s OK. We’re being careful and Neal knows, so.” Neal was JC’s counselor.

Justin drew his knees to his chest, hugging his legs. “So, why?”

JC twisted his ankle between Justin’s feet, maintaining some contact even with Justin’s defensive posture. “I needed to talk to you, and I couldn’t seem to get you alone otherwise.” His voice was hushed.

“I’ve been trying to talk to you for two days!” Justin’s voice was quiet but forceful. “You’ve been avoiding me!”

“I know,” JC sighed. “At first, I was kinda annoyed, and then you seemed really angry and I didn’t know what to say, so.”

“So.” Justin shivered a little and wished he had his sweatshirt.

“Here,” JC said, and tugged Chris’s sleeping bag off of the bed, handing it to Justin. He wrapped it around his shoulders.

“Thanks. Wanna share?” he offered, and JC smiled at him in the dark. Justin spread his legs and allowed JC to lean back against him.

“This is so cool, sneaking out. I’ve never done anything like this before.” JC turned a bit so he was leaning against the wall across Justin’s lap, facing his boyfriend.

“Sssh! You gotta be quiet or we’re gonna get into trouble.” Justin was nervous enough about getting caught. Add on the feeling of holding JC in his arms for the first time in days, and. Well. If he had been standing, his knees would have been knocking together. “I gotta tell you something,” JC said. He reached up to trace the contours of Justin's face with one finger. “I’m sorry that I’ve been avoiding you. It wasn’t fair of me.”

“I’m sorry I messed up on the field. And that I got mad at you on the beach. I was just embarrassed.” Justin leaned into JC’s touch.

“Yeah. Today kinda sucked, you know?” JC sucked in a deep breath. “When you do stuff like that, I just worry. Like, I know you don’t really mean it, but other people can kinda be followers. And most of the juniors already don’t respect me, so. I don’t wanna be known as the student director with no control.”

Shit, Justin thought, he hadn’t even thought of that. “I’m sorry, really. I didn’t mean it to be a thing, and I felt like an ass right afterwards.”

“Just don’t do it again, all right?”

“I won’t, swear to God.” Justin took JC’s hand in his and squeezed it in reassurance. “I hate fighting with you.”

“Me too. I’ve missed you.” JC shifted so he was sitting a little closer to Justin, drawing the warmth from one body to another.

“I thought you didn’t wanna be with me anymore.”

“Oh, Jeez, no, Justin. No.” JC squeezed his hand again, and wove their fingers together. Justin’s hands were cold, so he blew on them a little to warm them. “I just. Maybe I gave you the wrong idea by this summer, cause we’ve really only hung out with, like, Chris and Lance and Joey and them. But. I just really hate PDA stuff. Really.”

“I thought you were out, though,” Justin said. It was one of the things that had first attracted Justin to JC, his ease with his own sexuality.

“I am, totally, you know that. It’s not about that. Remember I used to go out with Katie?” Justin nodded. JC had gone out with her all through band season his sophomore year. Justin had seen pictures of them--they were really cute together.

“She used to get all pissed off with me cause I would never, like, hold her hand or kiss her when there were other people around. I mean, I do a lot more with you than I ever did with her. It’s not that I’m closeted, I just think that stuff is private, you know. It’s seems somehow less special when everyone can see.”

Justin was quiet for a moment, thinking. JC poked him in the stomach until he grinned. “Stop that. I’m thinking, cause I don’t wanna say this wrong. I understand your point, I do. But. It feels like you’re ashamed of me, you know?”

“I’m not, Justin I swear. I’m so proud of you, I can’t believe how lucky I am that you’re my boyfriend.”

“Yeah? Even when school starts, and stuff? You’ll like, wanna be seen with me?” Justin sounded so eager, JC laughed and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

“Definitely.”

“Will you dance with me? Just once, tomorrow at the social? Just once,” he pleaded, seeing the hesitation in JC’s eyes.

“Maybe. Ask me tomorrow,” JC said, kissing Justin again. It felt like coming home, after days apart. He groaned softly as Justin touched his cheek, brushed his hair out of the way.

Justin lost track of time as he and JC reconciled, kissing in the dark corner of the cabin. But after awhile, he vaguely heard the door open again and Chris and Lance sneak back in.

“Time to go, C.”

Reluctantly, JC stood, hobbling. “My foot’s asleep,” he said, tapping it on the floor so it would regain feeling. He smiled down at Justin. “See you at breakfast,” he whispered, and allowed Chris to escort him back to his cabin.

Crawling back into his bed, Justin couldn’t help but grin over at Lance. “Did you guys talk?”

“Mmm.” Lance’s voice was thick with exhaustion. “Did you?”

“Yeah. It’s all good. I’ll tell you in the morning.” Justin fluffed his pillow and turned over, falling asleep before Lance even replied.

**

The last day at camp, breakfast was back to normal. They’d made a lot of progress in the past two days, but everyone knew this was the day that counted--they had to finish the drill that morning, tweak it in the afternoon, and do a full run through that night. In addition, the last night at camp was Senior Night--a fancy dinner with table cloths and stuff. Both JC’s and Joey’s parents were coming up to watch their sons be honored.

Seating was back to normal at breakfast, and Justin and JC held hands under the table. Britney teased them about purposefully fighting to make the week more interesting and save them from all kinds of extraneous PDAs. Justin just laughed and told her that he’d heard two of the new freshmen in the drum line talking about how hot she was. She blushed and looked over at their table. One of them, Jeff someone, was staring, and blushed. Britney laughed--he would be about shoulder height on her.

Lance and Chris were having their own little conversation at the end of the table, and Joey was gone when Justin looked over at his end. He stood up a little and scanned the room, finding him sitting on the edge of the bench a few tables away. Talking to Heather.

JC groaned. “Oh, this is not happening!”

“What?” Justin said. “I think they’re a cute couple.” They watched as Joey said something and Heather slapped at his arm. “Aww, they’re flirting.”

JC sighed. “I just don’t want her to get hurt, you know. Joe’s my best friend, but.”

Britney leaned over and smiled. “Trust me. He won’t hurt her. It’s not in his nature.”

“But you and he…” JC furrowed his brow, confused. Britney smiled gently at him.

“Yeah, but that was me, totally me. I was angry with myself, not him. He’s great.”

JC sighed. “Man, it’s gonna be a crazy year.”

Justin hooted, and Nick joined in. “Crazy! Totally crazy!” They slapped high fives across the table, and bounded out to rehearsal.

On the field, things were great. JC and Justin were back to working together instead of against each other. The beats held strong, and they managed to squeeze in a run-through without music before lunch. After the meal, they added the instruments, and everyone knew. This was something, here. This was what they’d been searching for all week. The instructors beamed with pleasure.

JC and Joey were playing in senior-staff softball game that afternoon, so Justin and Nick went to cheer them on. Although neither Joey nor JC were very athletic, but Joey made one outstanding hit in the third inning, bringing in two runs, and JC had a couple of great catches in the outfield. Justin cheered and blew kisses as JC ran the bases. It was great, it was wonderful, it was band camp and this was the way it was supposed to be. At the end of the game, he saw Britney congratulating Joey on his hit. They talked for a few minutes, and hugged before parting. Things looked good, he thought, happily running back to the cabin to shower.

Getting ready for dinner that night, Chris had his clock radio on the classic rock station, the only one that would come up way out in the boonies where camp was situated. Justin fixed his hair singing “What I Like About You” and Chris and Lance danced on the other side of the room when “Blister in the Sun” played. They came back in a verse early with the loud part, and ended up laughing through the rest of the song. The whole cabin was alive as they dressed in nice shirts and clean shorts.

For once, the underclassmen got to go in to dinner first, and they all sat as the seniors were introduced one by one. They underclassmen clapped politely as the juniors placed plastic leis around their necks and gave them each a flower. JC was the last one, and Justin beamed with pride as JC stood there with his goofy grin. He saw JC’s parents taking pictures, then everyone moved over to one corner where all of the seniors stood together for photos. Britney and Christina rushed up with their cameras, then came back to the table. There were more pictures all through dinner, and Nick and Justin were good and didn’t make any special stews or art pieces with the food. Roast beef and carrots, and it wasn’t quite home made, but it was good.

Some of the parents stuck around to watch the evening rehearsal, and marveled at how much their kids had accomplished in the week. As night fell, though, most of them left, heading down to the hotels in Sebago. The final run through of the night came at nearly nine, and the field was dark. The instructors who had driven up went for their cars and turned the headlights on the field. JC stood illuminated on the podium and began to conduct. Everyone on the field came in and the music happened. Justin had no idea how it looked from above, but on the field, he knew. This was gonna be an amazing season.

The instructors whooped and hollered when they were done, then sent everyone into the lodge for the social. Instruments were packed away, the lights went out, and the music started.

Chris was being nice and playing lots of radio music, stuff everyone knew and loved. Sometimes he liked to be weird and play songs that he thought everyone SHOULD love, but tonight he was giving the crowd what they wanted. There was excitement in the air, about how well the day had gone and the idea of going home tomorrow. Real food! Real beds! Private showers! The anticipation was enough to make everyone happy and carefree.

Lance danced with Britney twice, and then Christina. He only came off of the dance floor when that stupid Grease mix came on again. There was this whole clique that was really into drama and they loved that. Lance slunk back to the stairs and sat down with Justin and JC. They’d both been dancing with a big group of people, and backed out only moments earlier.

“Why do they always play this shit?” Justin asked, watching as his band mates crooned along to “Summer Lovin’.”

“I have no fucking idea. Hey, you seen Nick lately?” JC and Justin pointed to the opposite corner, where Nick and the rest of the low brass section were standing on a bench doing the Greased Lightning dance. Lance laughed.

The music ended, thankfully, and an Enrique Iglesias song came on. “Come, dance,” Justin said, dragging at his friends’ hands. They rejoined the girls on the floor, and Justin practiced his salsa with Christina as JC twirled Britney around into Lance’s arms.

JC couldn’t have been happier, there with his friends, and all these other people that he loved like family. He waved up at Chris, who was on the balcony watching them. Everything was perfect.

The music slowed, and JC watched as people started to pair off. Christina and Lance began a beautiful waltz, laughing as their steps mismatched the tempo of the music. Britney elbowed Justin with a grin. He watched as she wove her way between the bodies on the floor to a group of timid freshman boys. As she led little Jeff out to dance, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, his friends hooted and hollered. Jeff could barely move from the shock, and Justin and JC laughed as an enormous grin split across his face. He was eye-level with her chest, and was having trouble keeping his gaze on her face.

“So, how about it?” Justin asked, standing next to JC. “You wanna dance?”

JC locked his jaw, and looked around. Now or never, he thought, and took the plunge. “Sure.”

It would have been worth a thousand compromises to see the grin on Justin’s face again. “Really? You will?”

“Yup.” JC grabbed Justin’s hand and pulled him to the edge of the dance floor. There, he wrapped his arms around Justin’s shoulders and let Justin rest his hands on his hips. “Be good,” he warned, and started to sway to the music.

JC kept his eyes on Justin’s, talking lightly as they danced. He didn’t dare look around, didn’t want to see the stares or the curious eyes. Instead, he focused on smelling Justin’s cologne, mostly gone by now. His shoulders were damp through the shirt, from the humidity and sweat from the evening’s rehearsal. JC never wanted to let go. When the music ended, he backed away, but kept his hand in Justin’s. Together, they smiled.

"Hey, JC,” Lance said when he sat down with them a while later. They’d stopped dancing after the last slow song and stuck to the staircase, watching their friends and talking to whoever came by. Chris had announced last song a minute or so earlier, and the couples on the floor swayed to the music.

“Check it out,” Lance said, and pointed to Joey’s back. As he turned, they could all see it was JC’s sister in his arms. JC groaned, but the three continued to watch. When the last chord struck, Joey leaned down and lightly kissed her.

“Awww, man, that’s gross!” JC cried. “That’s my sister, dude!” Justin clamped a hand over his mouth. Thankfully, Joey was too far away to hear.

“Oooh, I bet that was her first kiss! That’s so sweet, look at her,” Lance said. Joey was smiling at Heather, and there were stars in her eyes.

“It’s still gross,” JC said, but he watched them anyway. He’d never in a million years have predicted that one. Band camp did weird things, that he was sure of.

**

That night, Lance and Justin again lay in their sleeping bags, whispering in the dark. “You think he’ll come again?” Lance asked.

“He said he’d try.” Justin crossed his fingers and tried not to fidget, because his bed squeaked really loudly. He instead thought about how good it had felt to dance with JC that night, how proud he’d felt to be able to hold his boyfriend in his arms in public, to dance with him like every other couple, and how his heart had swelled when JC hadn’t let go of his hand, even when they were done dancing.

“Ugh, I don’t wanna go home tomorrow!” Lance buried his head in his pillow.

“Yes, you do. Your mom’s gonna have steaks on the grill for dinner, and you’ll get sheets instead of a sleeping bag, and you won’t have to share a bathroom with seven other guys.” Justin grinned. Home. He could almost taste his grandmother’s peach cobbler as he spoke. She always made it for him when he came home from camp.

“Yeah. But. Three Days,” Lance said.

“Don’t dwell on it,” Justin replied. “Just enjoy tonight.”

“I’m trying.” Lance hung an arm over the bed and drummed his fingers on the floor. He wished he knew that time it was, what time Chris was coming. They could take more time tonight, because he didn’t have to be on the field tomorrow. Only a long, long bus ride awaited them in the morning.

They whispered in the dark for what seemed like hours before the screen door opened and Chris pushed aside the sheet they’d tacked up in the doorway. Lance sat up and slid from bed before Chris could come to him. Justin could tell he was smiling.

Justin propped himself up and looked. He couldn’t see if JC was there. But Chris motioned to him to come, so he eased off the noisy mattress and slipped outside.

JC stood in the shadows behind the cabin. Justin pressed a quick kiss to his lips and grinned. “You came,” he said, lips pressed to JC’s.

“Mmm. But we gotta go somewhere. We can’t stay out here.” JC took Justin’s hand in his, rubbing the back with his thumb. It sent shivers along Justin’s veins all the way back to his heart.

“OK. We can go to the percussion cabin,” he said. The tiny cabin was on the edge of the property, where the pit and drum line rehearsed. Sticking to the perimeter trail, the two snuck through the shadows, not daring to speak as they crossed the beach and up the other side of camp.

The door to the cabin wasn’t locked, and it was dark inside. It was divided into separate rooms inside--two halves, each with a bathroom. All of the beds had been shoved into one side, to make room for the instruments on the other.

Justin climbed over a couple of stacked beds onto one in the middle of the room. The shutters were open and the moonlight shone in.

“Wow, you guys had a bathroom when you rehearsed out here? Lucky bastards.” JC sat at Justin’s feet and looked around.

“C’mere.” Justin drew JC so that he was lying beside him, looking out the window. “Can you believe how many stars you can see up here?” It was true--without the lights of any nearby cities, the sky was littered with constellations.

“I wish I knew more of them. Just Orion, the Dippers, and Cassiopeia.” JC hugged Justin close. It reminded him of a night from when they first started going out. They’d had a picnic in the park by his house, and shared their first kiss under the stars.

“I don’t know them either,” Justin said. He looked over his shoulder and grinned. “Did you make a wish?” he asked.

“Earlier tonight, on the way off the field. Star light, star bright.”

“What did you wish for?” Justin watched their hands meet and fold together. They fit, he thought, watching their fingers interlock.

“I can’t tell you,” JC said. He turned his head and grinned. “Then it won’t come true.”

“I thought that was only for birthdays,” Justin said. He shifted a little bit closer to JC.

“Mmm. No. It’s for all wishes.”

“I’ll tell you what I wished for. I wish you’d tell me your wish.” He grinned.

JC smiled back. “But you just told me, so now it won’t come true.” He knew what they were doing, where this was going, but it was part of the game, the anticipation.

“Yes, it will.”

“Nope. I’m not going to tell you.” JC laughed as Justin pouted beside him. “No. Although, there is a way…”

“Yeah?” Justin raised an eyebrow and scooted closer to JC. “What?”

“You could guess.” JC rolled up so he was lying on his side. Below him, Justin looked more relaxed and calm than he’d seen him all week.

“Hmmm. Let’s see. If I were you, I know what I’d wish for.” Justin leaned up and brushed his lips against JC’s lightly, feeling JC’s curve into a smile. A little more pressure, and Justin lightly touched his tongue to JC’s lips, loving their soft pliant feel and slightly salty taste. He drew back and looked into JC’s eyes. “Was I right?” he asked.

“Got it in one,” JC said, and lowered himself down on top of Justin. With a groan, they were kissing again, desperate and longing, a week’s worth of tension being released right there.

“God, we should have done this days ago,” Justin said as JC’s mouth worked down his chin. He sighed as JC licked at his throat, feeling his pulse quicken under JC’s tongue. He used his hands to guide JC back to his mouth, where he could kiss him once again.

JC managed to get his hands under the old T-shirt Justin slept in. He twisted one nipple in his fingers, and grinned as Justin gasped into his mouth. It was followed by a low groan as JC’s hands continued to tease. When he could take it no longer, Justin held JC back so he could slip out of the shirt completely. He was rewarded with JC’s tongue teasing him until he was shivering with delight. One thing about musicians was that they knew how to use their mouths.

JC pulled back a little and stared down at Justin. He looked so enticing, lying in the moonlight. JC pulled off his own shirt and dropped it to the floor, craving the skin-to-skin contact. When he was naked to the waist, Justin tugged at his shoulders until they were lying together once more.

With a sweet kiss on his temple, then two on his cheeks, Justin hovered by JC’s mouth. He kissed him again, tugging on his lips with his teeth, using his tongue to taste every part of him, knowing that the little bit of roughness would drive JC crazy. Sure enough, JC ground down on him, pressing their erections together.

Without a word to explain his intent, JC slipped down Justin’s body, kissing the fine line that divided his chest, nuzzling his belly button until Justin laughed. When he reached the waistband of Justin’s low shorts, he slipped his hand inside. Justin moaned, then wiggled to push his shorts lower, until they were gathered at his knees. He watched as JC stroked him then. Each movement brought waves of anticipation and pleasure crashing through his body. He gripped the mattress until his knuckles were white with tension as JC worked him to the brink. When JC lowered his head and sucked, hard, it was over before he could think. His balls tightened, then exploded into JC’s waiting mouth.

Panting, he rode out the orgasm. Without pause, he rolled them over and pulled JC’s shorts from his body. He attacked JC’s cock with vigor only a horny teen could manage, using one hand to caress his balls while the other pumped in time with his mouth. He couldn’t take in much, but he used his tongue to tease and torture, until JC could hold back no longer and went over in his mouth. He swallowed the bitter liquid, then drew back, panting to catch his breath. Below him, JC stared with wide blue eyes.

“Mmm,” JC moaned, rubbing his face. “We should go a week in between more often. That was amazing.”

“Yeah.” Justin sat on his heels, legs still tangled in his shorts. “But without the no kissing for a week thing, cause. I don’t like doing that.”

“It does suck.” JC sat up and pulled at his shorts. Justin was sitting on them, so he had to move and dress as well. “Do you think we need to go?”

“Probably.” Justin handed JC his shirt, and tugged his own on. It was inside out, so he had to take it off and try again. JC sat, waiting patiently.

“I’m never gonna be able to practice out here again, you do realize that.” Justin held out his hand as they left the cabin. JC slipped his into it, savoring the warmth and comfort there.

**

On the beach, Lance sat in the cool sand, leaning against Chris’s chest. They’d fooled around for a while earlier, but now they were just sitting together.

“Can you believe we’re going home tomorrow?” Chris held Lance close, keeping his arms around Lance’s waist, their hands folded together.

“I don’t want it to be over.” Lance voice was low and quiet. It was late. Even the loons had stilled.

Chris smiled into Lance’s hair. “It’s not over. Camp’s just the beginning, you’ve got the whole season ahead of you.”

"I know, but. It’s camp, you know? You spend all summer looking forward to this.”

“I know.” And he did. Chris was anticipating UMASS band camp, which started in only a few days. “You guys are gonna have an awesome season.”

“Can I come visit you?” Lance asked, suddenly.

“What? Yeah, of course. Only, not right away, cause I don’t wanna freak out my roommate by having you stay over the right when we get there, OK?” Chris was worried about getting some homophobe as a roommate, Lance knew, so he nodded.

“Yeah. Later, after show season ends.” He grinned up at Chris, turning his head so they could see each other. “I don’t know if my mom’ll let me stay over, but.”

“That’s OK. We’ll find time.”

“We will.” He sighed, kissing Chris lightly. “I love you.”

“Love you too,” Chris whispered. His feet were burrowed deep into the sand, rooting him into this place, this moment, this absolute perfection. It was a memory he wanted to carry with him forever.

**

“All right, you ready?”

The bus jostled and jumbled along the back roads of Maine, taking them away from Camp Tapawango, back to Kingston and the last week before school started. JC and Justin sat in the back of one side, Joey in the tiny single seat across from them. Nick and Lance occupied the seat in front of them, and Christina and Britney were facing backwards in the seat in front of Joey. Most of the seniors had gotten on one of the other buses, making it possible for their little group to get the back.

“Ready,” Justin answered, leaning back against the window. JC and Joey had started this game a few years ago, after the movie first came out. It was now a tradition to be played on the bus ride home every year.

Joey started. “This one time, at Band Camp, I broke the all time friend code and kissed my best friend’s little sister.” He looked sheepishly over at JC. “Sorry, dude, but. I like her.”

“It’s OK,” JC answered. Everyone looked at him, surprised. “What? He’s my best friend, if I trust anyone with my sister, it’s you, Joe. Just don’t tell me anything, OK?”

Joey smiled. “OK. Who’s next?”

Nick sighed. “This one time, at Band Camp, absolutely nothing happened to me.”

“Aww, poor Nicky,” Christina said. “You didn’t have a good time?”

“Nah, not even that, just nothing freaking happened. Well, except for the drama queen thing. That was pretty cool.”

Lance laughed. “It was so not. No more fighting, guys, it’s too stressful on the rest of us.” JC and Justin at least had the grace to blush as their friends snickered. “OK. Me next," Lance continued. "This one time, at band camp, I snuck out of my cabin, three times, at night, and spent the night on the beach with my amazing boyfriend.”

“Wow,” Britney looked over at him. “You’re serious?”

“Yup.” Lance bit his lip and grinned shyly. “It was so awesome, you guys.”

Justin looked up at JC. “We get to do one together, OK? This one time, at Band Camp, we got into a fight over something really stupid but then made up, had an incredible time, and christened the percussion cabin with things never before seen at an all-girl’s camp.”

Everyone laughed, and JC turned to lean into him as they rode. His listened to the rest of their stories, and couldn’t help but think that no matter what the movie said, this was always going to be better.

END


End file.
